Carpeting your home is one of the most expensive interior decorating jobs which can be undertaken. Buying the right type of carpet is another aspect to be taken into consideration. For example, in a bathroom a carpet would be considered by many people as unhygienic therefore one would usually choose laminate or linoleum. Here we look at different carpet and flooring tips:

Children's bedrooms and playrooms

It is important to choose hard wearing and tough floor coverings when decorating your child's favourite space. Little hands are often messy and children ideally need either laminated or wipe-clean flooring. If thy find this too cold then invest in some easy to clean rugs - preferably ones which are coated with a stain proofing material.

A fun, colourful and durable man made floor covering will add colour and interest to a bedroom or playroom whilst being eye catching and practical.

Wool carpets

Wool carpets are beautiful and luxurious however they need to be taken care of in order to remain this way. Following a regular programme of maintenance - vacuuming, occasional professional cleaning and the timely removal of spillages and stains - will ensure the longevity of a wool carpet.

When it comes time to professionally clean a carpet it is best to leave it to the real experts. Any carpet is an investment and running a quick internet search on a term such as Carpet Cleaning Middlesex will turn up many results which can be further researched. The majority of if not all carpet manufacturers do not recommend that you clean a badly soiled carpet yourself, this is best left to the experts.

Some tips

* Grit and dirt can damage carpet fibres. Ensure regular vacuuming and cleaning is adhered to

* Never leave a stain to soak into the carpet. Deal with this in a timely manner

* Leave a deep clean to the experts to avoid unnecessary damage and potential staining

* Only use specialist products which are designed for carpet maintenance. For example, do not use washing up liquid or general household soap on a stain as this could damage the pile or make the damage worse

* Ensure the carpet is colour fast before using liquid to clean any spots yourself. If in any doubt, call the experts.

General home maintenance of your carpet

To create your own carpet maintenance kit and ensure the long life of your floor covering ensure you have:

* a good quality vacuum cleaner with various attachments

* carpet shampoo

* dry cleaning fluid

* absorbent cloths

Simply having these few items to hand at all times will ensure you get the most out of your carpets and that they do not get ruined by every day wear and tear.